


Parts of a theatre

by sketchypotato



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/F, Happy Birthday Kaoru
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 15:23:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17942231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sketchypotato/pseuds/sketchypotato
Summary: It was near perfect play, a near perfect performance, but there was just something about it that bothered Chisato to no end.





	Parts of a theatre

Kaoru shines on stage, captivating the audience as she always does. Her acting had improved substantially over the years, as she took on roles beyond her usual princely persona, surprising directors and fellow casts with her talent and passion. If you asked Chisato, she would say that it’s not surprising, considering how many years of experience Kaoru had since starting in middle school. She absolutely wouldn’t say that her latest performance had caught her off guard with its brilliance, leaving Chisato breathless as she watched from the audience seats. It was an almost perfect performance, Kaoru using her natural charisma and her acting experience to the utmost as she played the lead, slaying villains and charming women, yet only having eyes for her one true love. A wonderful performance, matched by the solid direction and equally powerful acting of the rest of the cast, especially the sweet love interest that went besides Kaoru’s character.

There was a flaw in the production, however, a scene that bothered Chisato matter how she saw it. Was it the positions of the actors, was the angle of the body too stiff? Was the lighting off, the music cued in a second too slow? Maybe it was the expressions of the love interest, maybe it wasn’t natural enough, maybe it was Kaoru herself, they way she looked at the other actress as she leaned in to kiss her, clearly it wasn’t fond enough, or maybe too fond for that stage of their character’s relationship, or the kiss was too fast, too slow, too-

That’s why she finds herself backstage once the play has ended. As a fellow actress, it is her duty to give feedback where it is due, and surely Kaoru would appreciate it to improve her next performance. Yes, that was why she sweettalked the stage manager, an associate that she had worked with before, to let her in, and was now standing in front of Kaoru’s dressing room. She took a deep breath, ignored the loud beating of her heart, and knocked.

Kaoru opened the door with a flourish. “Greetings, dear Little-kitten! What a lovely surprise, I must say I certainly didn’t expe- Chii-chan?!”

Chisato took a moment to appreciate Kaoru’s flustered face. She seemed to be in the middle of undressing, her ornate costume overcoat taken off and her hair loosened from its earlier ponytail, leaving her in just her leggings and frilly white blouse, the top few buttons undone. It was a look that suited her, the outfit with the expression, but Chisato caught herself before she could dwell on it further. That wasn’t what she was here for, wasn’t it?

“Stop with all that and let me in,” said Chisato, waving away Kaoru’s extended arm. “There’s something I want to say about today’s performance.”

“Sure,” replied Kaoru, still looking quite stunned as she let her in.

It was a cosy dressing room, meant only to fit the star of the show and her makeup artists. Chisato traced her finger across the dressing table, examining the makeup strewn across it, the powders, eyeshadow, lipstick…

“So, Chii-chan,” started Kaoru, clearing her throat. “What was it that you wanted to say?”

Chisato paused, the words that she planned to say before she entered the room dying in her throat. Why was she here again? To give acting feedback? Sure, there were many things that she _could_ say about the performance that Kaoru would like to know. From how the audience were enthralled as ever by Kaoru’s performance, gossiping excitedly about the lead even as they left the theatre. Or maybe some criticisms, such as how Kaoru’s posture, while good, could always stand for more improvement. She could go on discussing Kaoru's analysis of the character’s motivations, and her thoughts were happy to lead her to more and more theatre-related distractions. But that would be merely stalling, wouldn't it? As she was gathering her thoughts, Kaoru had been waiting in the silence for long enough. No, she had to say something, something straight to the point, yet as she sorted out her thoughts and turned round to face Kaoru, what came out of her mouth was an angry “What was that?”

She knew that it wasn't the right thing to say the moment she said it, but Chisato didn't apologise as Kaoru took a step back, her initial shock from the outburst slowly turning into hurt. “Was…. Was my performance bad?”

“No, no, that’s not it, for the most part it was fantastic actually, but-“ Chisato didn’t miss the way Kaoru’s eyes lit up at the compliment, but she did her best to ignore it. “It was, that, that kiss scene! It was terrible.”

Kaoru frowned again. “But… How so? We made sure to practice it many times to ensure we would look natural and-“

“You _practised?_ ” And there was that accusatory tone again. Chisato hated that it was slipping out of her, that her all her veteran acting experience it couldn’t cover up the one thing that mattered. “So kissed her, multiple times?”

“Yes, of course,” replied Kaoru, and it was her turn to look slightly cross. “We both play lovers in this play, that is our job as actors after all.”

“Well then you did a terrible job at it. For all your practice the scene was painful to watch.”

It was only half the truth, but at this point all Chisato wanted to do was make Kaoru mad. Because deep down, she knew why the scene made her chest hurt, and it wasn’t because of poor acting. No, it was far from it, the acting was perfect, that’s why it pained her to see it, to see the tender expression in Kaoru’s face towards her fellow actress as she leaned down. An expression that was all too familiar to Chisato, an expression that she had been trying to ignore for years out of fear for her reputation, out of fear for her heart.

_An expression that should only be for me._

Kaoru takes a step towards her, and Chisato can see the anger amongst the hurt starting to build up, yet not fast enough. Kaoru opens her mouth to say something, but before she can say anything Chisato cuts in.

“Have you even fallen in love before?”

Kaoru’s mouth shuts quickly after that. Chisato counts the seconds before she answers, as Kaoru slowly lowers her head and looks away.

“Why would that matter to you.”

“Because,” says Chisato, taking a step forward. “You can only replicate an emotion when you have experienced it before, isn’t that right. You're a professional, and yet you didn't know that before trying such a difficult scene?”

She could hear it, the rhythm of Kaoru’s breaths as she turned to looked back at her. How they intermingled with her own as Chisato walked forward and slowly closed the distance between them. How it betrayed both of their nervousness as to…. As to what? Really?

“Show me then, Chii-chan,” whispered Kaoru, “what does a real kiss look like?”

She barely finishes her question before Chisato grabs onto Kaoru’s collar to pull her close, crashing their lips together into what is probably the worst possible kiss in either of their acting careers. Despite her invitation moments before, Kaoru is taken aback, and Chisato takes the opportunity to slide her tongue past her soft, soft lips, entering her mouth, feeling Kaoru melt against her as she melts in turn. Dimly, she thinks about how she doesn't deserve to be enjoying this, when all she's done in the past is reject Kaoru and toy with her heart. But that thought is quickly extinguished by the taste of Kaoru’s tongue, and she is reminded by how much she’s always wanted this, even if she was too afraid to try.

There’s no time to be afraid now, and as they pull back for air Chisato appreciates the bright red blush on Kaoru’s face, how cutely it matches her kiss-bitten lips. This is what she had been so afraid of, that after having Kaoru lips on hers once she’ll want it again and again, as she places her hand on Kaoru’s cheek and traces those sweet red lips with her thumb. There is so much for her to say, so much she _should_ say, to maybe explain why they were kissing each other so suddenly after years of tiptoeing around their relationship, but Kaoru just closes her eyes and leans into the touch, and Chisato heart swells so much she can’t help but tiptoe to kiss her again.

Except that she doesn’t get to do that, as the door slams open and in comes in the noisiest group of people she’s ever known. Kokoro shouts her greeting loudly as ever, barely stopping for breath as she continues onto praises of Kaoru’s performance, and whatever pauses she has between her words are filled in by Hagumi’s excited comments, sometimes overlapping to form a near-unbearable cacophony. Neither acknowledge Chisato’s presence beyond a quick “Hello!” before pouncing onto Kaoru, although Kanon does greet her properly, as surprised she is to see her friend there. Misaki greets her too, mildly surprised at first but gradually putting on a knowing expression as her eyes flit between Chisato and Kaoru, taking in their residual blush and the like. Chisato merely smiles it off, letting the band members take the stage, retreating to a corner of the already cramped room and remembering why she didn’t want to open her heart to Kaoru in the first place.

Because Kaoru is _everyone’s_ Kaoru, friend to all, prince to many, and Chisato can feel her possessiveness itching up again. It's unfair for Chisato, to see her dear Kao-chan putting on airs and being constantly fawned on by others. Its unfair to Kaoru, to have such a selfish childhood friend. And that childhood friend should really leave right now, she thinks, maybe even forget that this ever happened, and continue about her life as so.

But as she turns to leave, Chisato feels a hand grab onto hers. Although still maintaining her conversation with Hagumi, Kaoru laces their fingers together. Chisato feels the warmth of her hand, a familiar and comfortable warmth, and Chisato finally realises for herself.

This time, she was not going to let go.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday Kaoru!!! I actually started this a month ago and decided to continue it today on a whim, and I didn't realise it was gonna be Kaoru's bday?? Lmao good timing. Can't believe it took me so long to write chisakao tho i love them, also i intended this to be less than 1k words but it got out of hand! I have to wake up early tmr and its 3am! the things i do for lesbians
> 
> twitter @spacetier


End file.
